Captain's Corner: Skyway is swarming in bait

Fishing this weekend will be tough. Thunderstorms and high winds should keep most off the water. But the outlook for the week looks pretty good. The wind will finally subside for a few days. Bait is all around the Skyway and is making its way into Tampa Bay. Some small schools of redfish are starting to show up around Fort De Soto, Weedon Island and the south shore. The trick to catching them is to wait for high water. They've been skittish on lower water. The high water allows them to get comfortable. The key to know when redfish are comfortable is when they start to belly roll. Gator trout and slot trout are being caught everywhere, too. The slot trout seem to be hanging in 4 feet of water, while most of the gator trout are being caught in about 2 feet. The bait of choice has been a greenback belly hooked using a slow retrieve. Nice slot snook are all over the south shore and Weedon Island. They're blowing up on chummers. A 20-pound fluorocarbon leader has worked best. Make sure to loosen up your drag so they break you off. The water temperature is right for the kingfish bite to take off. We just need the wind to lie down.

Mike Gore charters out of Tampa Bay. Call him at (813) 390-6600 or visit tampacharters.com.

Shallow-water flats fishing can be very exciting this time of year. Trout and redfish are available in good numbers, and the opportunities to catch some gator trout have made recent trips very rewarding. Some of the largest trout have been in very sk...

The great weather, calm seas and exceptional fishing we experienced at the end of November and beginning of December came to a screeching halt with the cold front that came through. Surface water temperatures plummeted from an unseasonable 71 degrees...

Conditions after the cold front are cool and are going to be for a while. That doesnít mean you canít or shouldnít fish. Many anglers get stuck on snook, reds and trout and forget how fun it is to catch sheepshead. Many reefs are already holding good...

The severity of this cold front will determine the fishing forecast for the next several days. Bait that had been abundant inshore will scatter. Nearshore gulf waters will muddy, and water temperatures. at least temporarily. will plummet. How cold, h...

I canít believe we are in the last month of the year. And while this is one of my favorite months to fish, it will be controlled by weather. As cold fronts become more frequent and harsh, planning your trips around them will make the biggest differen...

This is a great time for variety. Combined trips for speckled trout and redfish are achieving excellent results. With the correct approach, great catches of both species are a reality now. The best anglers use the lightest tackle. Light rods and reel...

Gag grouper fishing and spearing is hot. The season for these grouper in the Gulf of Mexico is winding down, with a slated closure at the end of this month. The cooler water has the gags moving closer, and they are happy when the bottom temperatures ...

Nearshore fishing is still going strong in north Pinellas. Bait schools are roaming just a couple of miles offshore, attracting kingfish, Spanish mackerel and bonito. The beaches are still holding sardines for cast netting at sunrise. I like to have ...

With our current regulations in the Gulf, this is the best month to target gag grouper. Although the gag grouper season opens in June they are hard to come by for most months unless anglers travel to depths of 240 feet or more. With each passing cold...

Speckled sea trout are one of the most reliable targets this time of year. Grass flats are usually empty because of extreme low tides. That causes higher concentrations of fish on the edges and in the deeper grass flats. No live bait is needed. A red...

Terry Tomalin, the Tampa Bay Times' larger-than-life outdoors editor, traveled Florida and the world to take readers on extraordinary adventures. He died on May 19 after suffering a heart attack. He was 55.

Do you have a great catch photo? Email it to [email protected] or send an Instagram photo to #tbgreatcatch and we'll add it to our gallery at tampabay.com/sports. Please include your name, telephone number and where and when the fish was caught.